Boat top



y 1962 w. E. PEARSON 3,035,281

BOAT TOP Filed Sept. 16, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

W/A 420 5 PEARSON ATmAA/EVS BOAT TOP Filed Sept. 16, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet2 INVENTOR. W/llAfiO E PEAAJO V ATTORNEYS 2 atm 3,635,283 Patented May22, IQQZ lice 3,035,281 BOAT TOP Willard E. Pearson, Box 131, Fox Lake,Ill. Filed Sept. 16, 1960, er. No. 56,444 7 Claims. (Cl. 9-1) Thisinvention relates to a novel tilt-up top for boats.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a til -up boattop which is adapted to be hinged or mounted on the sides of a boat, ata location spaced behind an existing windshield, the top having improvedmeans for securing the same in engagement with the windshield, in theclosed position of the top, improved hinge means which spaces the hingeaxis of the top above the point of mounting of the hinge means on theboat, and prop means extending rearwardly from the top to engage theboat, behind the top, for supporting the top in its tilted-up openposition.

Another object of the invention is to provide prop means for a top ofthe character indicated above, which props the top in a rearwardlyoverbalanced and secure manner, so that the top does not require to bemanually or otherwise held in its tilted open position, and so that thetop, in its tilted position, does not rest upon and encumber the boatbehind the hinge means.

Other important objects and advantageous features of the invention willbe apparent from the following description and the accompanyingdrawings, wherein, for purposes of illustration only, a specific form ofthe invention is set forth in detail.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary side perspective view showing a boat equippedwith a top of the present invention, showing the top in closed position;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary perspective of the other side of the boatshowing the top in tilted open posi tion;

FEGURE 3 is a fragmentary side elevation showing the top in closedposition in full lines and propped in open position in phantom lines;and,

FIGURE 4- is an enlarged fragmentary vertical transverse section takenon the line 4-4 of FIGURE 3.

Referring in detail to the drawings, wherein like numerals designatelike parts throughout the several views, the numeral generallydesignates a motor boat hull having a foredeck 12 behind which is anupstanding windshield 14 which extends across the front of a cockpit 16.The hull 10 has sides 18 having gunwales 20 above their upper edges. Thewindshield 14 has a transversely extending substantially straighthorizontal top frame member 22.

A preferable rigid top 24 normally extends over the cockpit 16 and bearsupon the top windshield frame mem ber 22, as shown in FIGURES l and 3.The top 24 has a horizontal main portion 26 having a forward edge 23,and side edges 39. Extending downwardly from and rearwardly along theside edges 3!), forward edges 28 are rearwardly flaring top sides 32. Attheir rear and wider ends the sides 32 merge into the upper ends ofuprights 34 which extend downwardly below the sides 32, and terminate inlower ends 36. As shown, the uprights 34 may have a slight forwardangulation relative to the main top portion 26. Fixed to the undersideof the main top portion 26, at the forward edge 23, at the side edges30, are resilient bumpers 38 which are compressed under tension whenengaged with the top frame member 22 of the windshield 14.

The top 24 is securely and forcibly tensioned upon the windshield member22, and held securely in its closed position, by means of stretchableresilient straps 40, of such as rubber shock cord, which are secured, attheir upper ends, as indicated at 42, to loops 44 fixed to the top sides32 near the forward edge 23 of the top, and have hooks 46 on their lowerends, which are removably engaged with straps under tension throughloops 48 fixed upon the gunwales 20 in vertical alignment with the loops44, as shown in FIGURE 3.

Hinge mounts 50 are suitably secured, as indicated at 52, upon thegunwales 24} in vertical alignment with the lower ends 36 of theuprights 34-. The hinge mounts 59 comprise horizontally elongated plates54 which bear upon the tops of the gunwales 20, and forwardly inclinedbars 56 which have their rear ends connected directly to the plates 54,at the rear ends thereof. The bars 56 are spaced upwardly from theplates 5-4 by means of downturned end portions 58 which are connected attheir lower ends to the plates at the forward ends of the plates,whereby a modern streamlined effect is obtained.

Upstanding on intermediate portions of the bars 56 are hinge eyes 69through which extend pivot bolts 62 which have heads 64 at the outboardsides of the eyes 60 and have nuts 66 on their inboard ends. Bracketplates 68 are fixed, as indicated at 70, to the outboard sides of theuprights 34 and extend below the lower ends 36 thereof, and have, belowthe uprights, holes '72 through which the pivot bolts 62 extend. Washers74 on the bolts 62 are engaged with the inboard sides of the bracketplates 68 by the nuts 66. This arrangement spaces the lower ends 36 ofthe uprights 34 a substantial distance above the tops of the gunwales29, so that the top 24 can be tilted rearwardly to a greater than usualdegree, to a rearwardly overbalanccd position, as shown in phantom linesin FIGURE 3, to an extent that the weight of the top holds the top 24 inits open position, and manual or other retention of the top in its openposition, is not required and is done away with.

For holding the top 24, in its open position, with the uprights 34spaced above and out of contact with the gunwales 20, and any other partof the boat hull between the sides 18 at this location, props 78 areprovided. The props 78 preferably comprise straight rods or tubes 86having forward portions fixed, as indicated at 82, to the outboard sidesof the top uprights 34, at determined spaced points above the axes ofthe hinge mounts 59. The rods 80 extend rearwardly beyond the uprights34 and have protective caps 84 on their rear ends. The rods 80 aredisposed at angles relative to the uprights, such that the rods 89 aresubstantially parallel to the gunwales 20, in the closed position of thetop 24, and extend at acute rearward angles, relative to theperpendicular, in the open position of the top, with their caps 84bearing upon the tops of the gunwales 20. The caps 84 are preferably ofresilient and compressible material, so as to serve as bumpers forabsorbing the shock of a careless or sudden opening of the top 24. Inthe event that Wind is blowing forwardly against the top 24 while inopen position, the top will remain rearwardly overbalanced and remain inits open position against all but heavy gusts of Wind.

Aithough there have been shown and described herein preferred forms ofthe invention, it is to be understood that the invention is notnecessarily confined thereto, and that any change or changes in thestructure of and in the relative arrangements of components thereof arecontemplated as being within the scope of the invention as defined bythe claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, a boat hull having sides, gunwales on the upper edgesof said sides, a windshield extending between and rising above thesides, said windshield having a top frame member, a rigid top having anormally horizontal main portion having a forward edge and side edges,said main portion being engaged upon said top frame member in the closedposition of the top, said top having pendant uprights at its side edgesat the rear end of said main portion, said uprights having lower ends,and hinge mounts fixed upon the gunwales beneath the lower ends of theuprights having pivot means connected to the uprights, and resilientmeans stretched between the top at its side edges in the region of thewindshield, and the gunwales near the windshield, the axes of said pivotmeans being spaced at a substantial height above the gunwales wherebyupon release of said resilient means the top can be tilted to arearwardly and downwardly overbalanced open position behind said pivotmeans.

2. In combination, a boat hull having sides, gunwales on the upper edgesof said sides, a windshield extending between and rising above thesides, said windshield having a top frame member, a rigid top having anormally horizontal main portion having a forward edge and side edges,said main portion being engaged upon said top frame member in the closedposition of the top, said top having pendant uprights at its side edgesat the rear end of said main portion, said uprights having lower ends,and hinge mounts fixed upon the gunwales beneath the lower ends of theuprights having pivot means connected to the uprights, and resilientmeans stretched between the top at its side edges in the region of thewindshield, and the gunwales near the windshield, the axes of said pivotmeans being spaced at a substantial height above the gunwales wherebyupon release of said resilient means the top can be tilted to arearwardly and downwardly overbalanced open position behind said pivotmeans, and prop means on and reaching rearwardly beyond the top forsupporting engagement with portions of the gunwales behind the hingemounts in the open position of the top.

3. In combination, a boat hull having sides, gunwales on the upper edgesof said sides, a windshield extending between and rising above thesides, said windshield having a top frame member, a rigid top having anormally horizontal main portion having a forward edge and side edges,said main portion being engaged upon said top frame member in the closedposition of the top, said top having pendant uprights at its side edgesat the rear end of said main portion, said uprights having lower ends,and hinge mounted fixed upon the gunwales beneath the lower ends of theuprights having pivot means connected to the uprights, and resilientmeans stretched between the top at its side edges in the region of thewindshield, and the gunwales near the windshield, the axes of said pivotmeans being spaced at a substantial height above the gunwales wherebyupon release of said resilient means the top can be tilted to arearwardly and downwardly overbalanced open position behind said pivotmeans, said hinge mounts comprising elements spaced above the gunwales,upstanding hinge eyes on said elements, pivots extending through saideyes, said uprights having hinge brackets thereon and reaching belowtheir lower ends through which the pivots securably extend.

4. In combination, a boat hull having sides, gunwales on the upper edgesof said sides, a windshield extending between and rising above thesides, said windshield having a top frame member, a rigid top having anormally horizontal main portion having a forward edge and side edges,said main portion being engaged upon said top frame member in the closedposition of the top, said top having pendant uprights at its side edgesat the rear end of said main portion, said uprights having lower ends,and hinge mounts fixed upon the gunwales beneath the lower ends of theuprights having pivot means connected to the uprights, and resilientmeans stretched between the top at its sides edges in the region of thewindshield, and the gunwales near the windshield, the axes of said pivotmeans being spaced at a substantial height above the gunwales wherebyupon release of said resilient means the top can be tilted to arearwardly and downwardly overbalanced open position behind said pivotmeans, said resilient means comprising resilient and stretchable strapshaving upper and lower ends, the upper ends of the straps being securedto the main portion of the top at the side edges thereof and adjacent tosaid forward edge, loops fixed on the gunwales and members secured onthe lower ends of the straps and releasably engaged with said loops.

5. In combination, a boat hull having sides, gunwales on the upper edgesof said sides, a windshield extending between and rising above thesides, said windshield having a top frame member, a rigid top having anormally horizontal main portion having a forward edge, and side edges,said main portion being engaged upon said top frame member in the closedposition of the top, said top having pendant uprights at its side edgesat the rear end of said main portion, said uprights having lower ends,and hinge mounts fixed upon the gunwales beneath the lower ends of theuprights having pivot means connected to the uprights, and resilientmeans stretched between the top at its side edges in the region of thewindshield, and the gunwales near the windshield, the axes of said pivotmeans being spaced at a substantial height above the gunwales wherebyupon release of said resilient means the top can be tilted to arearwardly and downwardly overbalanced open position behind said pivotmeans, and prop means on and reaching rearwardly beyond the top forsupporting engagement with portions of the gunwales behind the hingemounts in the open position of the top, said prop means comprising rodsfixed to the uprights and extending rearwardly therefrom, said rodshaving rear ends for engaging the tops of the gunwales behind the hingemounts.

6. The combination with a vehicle having longitudinal side members, awindshield extending across the vehicle between the side members andrising above the side members, upstanding members on and rising abovesaid side members at a location spaced rearwardly from the windshield, arigid top having a normally horizontal portion having a forward endresting upon the top of the windshield, and pendant side portions at therear end of the horizontal portion, said pendant side portions beingpivoted at their lower ends on said upstanding members on a level spacedabove the tops of the vehicle side members, the top being adapted to beswung upwardly and rearwardly from a closed position wherein thehorizontal portion of the top rests upon the top of the windshield to anopen position wherein the top is in an over-center vertical positionbehind the pivotal axis of the top, and resilient means stretchedbetween the top at its side edges in the region of the windshield andthe gunwales near the windshield.

7. The combination with a vehicle having longitudinal side members, awindshield extending across the vehicle between the side members andrising above the side members, upstanding members on and rising abovesaid side members at a location spaced rearwardly from the windshield, arigid top having a normally horizontal portion having a forward endresting upon the top. of the windshield, and pendant side portions atthe rear ends of the horizontal portion, said pendant side portionsbeing pivoted at their lower ends on said upstanding members on a levelspaced above the tops of the vehicle side members, the top being adaptedto be swung upwardly and rearwardly from a closed position wherein thehorizontal portion of the top rests upon the top of the Windshield to anopen position wherein the top is in an over-center vertical positionbehind the pivotal axis of the top, and 5 rearwardly extending props onsaid pendant side members which are spaced above the tops of the vehicleside members in the closed position of the top, said props having rearends adapted to bear supportably upon the tops of the vehicle sidemembers in the open over-center position 10 of the top.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS BillsApr. 25, 1950 Eirdlebough Oct. 9, 1951 Shepard Feb. 4, 1958 FOREIGNPATENTS Great Britain Mar. 21, 1907

